Description

When the 5010 dropped, the world got an up-close-and-personal look at the next generation of mid-wheeled trail bikes. In that spirit, Santa Cruz offers 5010 X01 AM complete mountain bike. With its 27.5 inch wheels and proven FOX suspension, it'll make short work of hairy trails and all-day rides. The SRAM X01 drivetrain replaces a front derailleur with a super-wide range 11-speed cassette, for a 1x11 drivetrain that offers up the same gear range as a double. Sure, it's slightly less flashy than its carbon fiber counterpart, but the aluminum framed version is primed for years of headache-free hard riding. In case you've been wondering, this is exactly what all the fuss is about.

While there's no denying the drool-factor of the carbon fiber 5010, aluminum remains the material of choice for the value conscious among us. Luckily for you, Santa Cruz's decades of experience with the material are on full display. Through thoughtful selection of butted tubing, and artfully minimized machined bits, the 5010's frame is kept to a very reasonable 6.8 pounds for a medium frame with a rear shock. And while it sacrifices roughly a pound and a half to its carbon fiber counterpart, it stacks up admirably both in terms of strength and stiffness. That's thanks in part to the oversized 15mm collet style hardware, which is further aided by the 12x142mm through axle out back.

With a bike this versatile, it's important to have a suspension platform that pedals as well as it descends. And with the latest version of VPP handling the terrain, that's not a concern. It uses two counter-rotating links to achieve an optimal balance of firm pedaling and a smooth ride. Basically, the beginning stroke is controlled by the upper link, which starts the stroke in a high-leverage position for a supple ride over stutter bumps. As the suspension settles into the sag point, the lower link takes over control of the suspension, enabling the rear wheel to travel backwards, out of the way of impacts. The upshot to all of this is when the suspension is at the resting sag point, it harnesses your pedaling forces to neutralize suspension movement, giving you a firm, efficient feel at the pedals. So, whether you're climbing for two hours at a time, or rallying aggressive descents, your suspension works with you, not against you.

The mid-sized 27.5-inch wheels found on the 5010 have been surrounded by a whirlwind of attention as of late, and with good reason. The geometry of 26 inch bikes has become thoroughly refined over the past few years, but many riders find that the improved rolling characteristics of a 29-inch wheel make them an appealing alternative. However, stuffing a 29 inch wheel into a frame with moderate travel can produce some undesirable side effects, most notably long, unwieldy chainstays. By designing the 5010 around 27.5 inch wheels, Santa Cruz has harnessed the improved rolling ability of larger wheels, while dropping nearly three quarters of an inch off the chainstay length of the Tallboy. And that translates into faster turns and a more responsive ride. The chainstays grow roughly a quarter inch as compared to the Blur TR, allowing it to maintain the snappy handling of its smaller wheeled sibling. And like the Blur TR, the head angle remains at 68 degrees. What that means for you is that the steering feel is nearly identical to the notoriously fun TR. Instead of thinking of the 5010 as a downsized Tallboy, consider it a beefed up Blur TR that retains the flickability, and adds a heaping spoonful of out-and-out speed to the equation.

The X01 AM build features SRAM's 11-speed X01 groupset. By using a massive 10-42 cassette, you're able to get a gearing range that's similar to a traditional double chainring drivetrain, and you save the weight and complexity of a front shifter and derailleur. The concept has been proven at the highest levels of competition via SRAM's XX1 groupset, so the reliability and functionality leave nothing to be desired. Suspension duties are handled by FOX units front and back, in the form of a 32 FLOAT fork, and a FOX FLOAT CTD evolution rear shock. The fork employs FOX's FIT sealed damper for consistent performance on long descents, and the none-more-gold Kashima coating. The rear shock forgoes the Kashima coating, although in our experience, the tangible difference in performance is somewhere between negligible and non-existent.

You'll find an Easton Havoc alloy handlebar and Truvativ AKA stem handling the steering, and the staff favorite RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post puts control of your saddle height at your fingertips. Rounding out the build kit is a hand built wheelset comprised of DT's legendary 350 hubs laced with DT spokes to WTB i23 tubeless compatible rims. They're wrapped in Maxxis High Roller II tires, which have developed a loyal following for their fast rolling and incredible grip across a broad range of trail conditions.

The Santa Cruz 5010 X01 AM Complete Mountain Bike is available in four sizes from Small to X-Large, and in the colors Orange/blue, and White/grey.

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5010

Comment on DAVID FIKE's video:

I've now been riding my SOLO for a year

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I've been riding the trails near my home in NC for nearly a year and it rides like a charm. I had been riding a Blur LT and had way too much travel for the terrain around here. The SOLO climbs like a mountain goat and is equally nimble on the descents. I have had a few rolls over logs where the lower bottom bracket took a brush. I think that was more an issue of me getting a sense of the geometry and now I'm able to hop over most obstacles.

I also have a 29er hard tail, but 650b really is the best of both worlds. I

Comment on kcep439916's review:

Good 650 b

Gender:
Male

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

i had a chance to ride this bike over a long weekend. My initial impressions of this bike are good. The 5 inches of travel and steeper head angle (68 degrees) makes this bike a nice choice for longer,epic type rides vs the Bronson.The bikes geometry is very comfortable and I found the sizing (large) to be perfect for me,being 5'11. The bikes handling as very good as it performed well in tight single track,moderate jumps and ledges (nice platform for landing) and great acceleration. It was a little sluggish on climbs but the bike is a little heavier than my current rig.The Xo-1 set up is really nice and quiet on the trail and you don't have to worry about throwing chains with it. All in all the bike performed well and I would recommend it. I'm a sales rep for Competitive Cyclist so if you have questions contact me direct at 801.736.6396 x 4074 or email wbranham@competitivecyclist.com-Wes

Comment on WesB's review:

Not My Favorite 650b But Still Solid

Gender:
Male

Familiarity:
I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Needless to say I was incredibly stoked to throw a leg over the 5010 for the first time. After setting up the suspension and biking around the neighborhood dialing in the bike I was ready to rip the next day.

The Climb: I took this bike up the Glenwild trails (a trail system I am very familiar with and have ridden many different bikes on). On the way up, I felt that the VPP system kept me a little lower in the travel than what I am used to on my Yeti SB66. I kept the CTD float in the Descent mode the whole day so I could really get a feel for what the suspension system was doing. By raising the seat a little higher than I usually do, it compensated for sitting lower in the travel and I didn't feel like my efficiency was getting 'robbed,' as much compared to the Ibis HDR which has similar amount of travel and utilize the DW-link suspension system, the 5010 did not climb as well as either of these bikes. The 5010, however, did perform incredibly well on technical climbing section and kept traction very well.

The Descent: After an 8 mile climb I was very ready to point those tires downhill and see what they could do. My initial impressions were that the VPP system performed very well in keeping the bike grounded. It kept the rear wheel from skipping as I hit the notorious blind switchbacks. This bike held traction in corners great as well. I felt that I could lay the bike down with more confidence that I wouldn't slide. The downside of the descent was that the VPP system made the bike feel as though it was glued to the ground which made it more difficult to utilize the suspension to help me jump over obstacles and move the bike around in the air. Compared to the HDR, which is incredibly playful on the descents. With my riding style, where I like to make the most of natural features on the trail this bike wasn't for me but it would be excellent for someone who likes to rip but keep their tires planted firmly on the ground

I couldn't disagree with you more on the climbing comparison to the HDR. Your shock settings must not have been right. I own a HDR and the 5010 Easily Eats It Alive on the Climbs! It made my $9000.00 HDR feel like a Big Slow Pig on the climb up Mac Ridge. The HDR is more for those who aren't in a hurry on the climbs. On my 20 plus mile test Loop in Fruita I posted over a Dozen PRs on the Low end Aluminum 5010 that was bone stock and Easily 2-3 pounds heavier than my HDR. Up, Down, and Across, I was faster on the 5010. You can't cheat the clock. I'd also say its more playful as well. The 5010 in My opinion is the Most balanced Trail bike I have ever ridden. I just wish the Large had a 24.5" top tube. After riding this bike I sold my almost new HDR.

I agree that I don't think I set up my suspension correctly. I should have brought a shock pump with me, the suspension was sitting me a little lower in the travel than what I like. That definitely makes a huge difference in how the bike rides.

Comment on Nate Margolis's review:

Not just the Bronson's little Brother

Gender:
Male

After taking this bike for a spin in the Wasatch Mts around SLC, I was thoroughly impressed. After riding Bronson, which caters to the lift service rider, I found the 5010 to be what everyone was hoping for in the Bronson- a fast, nimble trail bike longing for a day of climbing and descending. I'd rate the Bronson 80% down and 20% up but the 5010 definitely splits the ride more evenly without sacrifice - maybe 55%/45%. Tweener wheels, welcome to the stable!